My Faves of 2010

Sometimes, it is important to compile a list. Grocery shopping and weekday dinners always do better with a list behind them. And, as I teeter on half a century of living, I find that my mind benefits from a reflective list every so often, if for no better reason than to remind myself of what I wore yesterday. Not that I'd ever make a list of outfits. Below, then, is a list from 2010, categorized by the things that are most important to me: books, events, music, food and people.

JANE'S HIT-AND-MISS HIGHLIGHTS of 2010

BOOKS
"Bruno: Chief of Police" (by Martin Walker)--Just finished this one, so it's fresh in my mind. Like Alexander McCall Smith's gentle "Lady Detective" series set in Botswana, Walker rolls out a mystery in which the characters and setting are king. I liked everyone in this book--except for the people I was supposed to hate--and felt like I got a bonus trip to offroad France, to boot.

"Plan B" (by Anne Lamott)--Okay, so this was a re-read for me, but one worth mentioning. I'm a big fan of Lamott, who somehow manages to mix the spiritual and the profane in such a way that she may just avoid eternal damnation. She's a great, funny, moving writer and the opening essay itself is worth the price of the book.

"Local Wonders" (by Ted Kooser)--This is how I kicked off my 2010 readings, and am I ever glad I did. Kooser writes about his beloved Bohemian Alps, just west of Lincoln, with kid gloves and deep appreciation. Organized by seasons, it is a stunning and beautiful book. One of my all-time faves, in fact.

"The Last Days of Summer" (by Steve Kluger)--Recommended by my most-excellent friend Pat Leach (who threatened me with an abrupt end of friendship if I disliked it), this one is a gem. Set in 1940s Brooklyn, this book is about everything that I'm not--Jewish, New York, baseball--and yet, by the time I finished, I was bawling like a baby, just outside of Economy and Performance, where I was to pick up my newly-repaired Sentra. Told in a scrapbook setting of postcards, matchbook covers and letters, the reader is pulled into the awkward, oddball friendship of young Joey Margolis and his baseball hero Charlie Banks.

"City of Thieves" (by David Benioff)--Recommended to me by another most-excellent friend, Jodene Glaesemann, who, by the way, did not threaten me, this was a stunning portrait of WWII Russia, told through the eyes of another mismatched twosome, young Lev and cocky Kolya, whose lives depend upon them locating a dozen eggs for a Russian Colonel. It is a personal, brutal, and often loving look at life during wartime, as seen through the eyes of these two men.

"The Help" (by Kathryn Stockett)--In high school, I fell in love with Southern vernacular, thanks to a heaping helping of William Faulkner, with a dash of Zora Neale Hurston and Eudora Welty thrown in, for good measure. It's been years since I've ventured that way, and "The Help" was a perfect re-introduction to that mysterious world. Yet another odd-duo mix of people are at the center of this moving story (I'm seeing a theme, here). White and college-educated Eugenia has a hankering to write stories for a living. When she starts paying attention to the division between whites and blacks in hometown Jackson, Mississippi, she slowly earns the trust of local black maids, spearheaded by maid Abileen, to share their stories of life in a white household. A great read.

MUSIC

"U Smile" by Justin Bieber...corny and yet symbolic of my slow transformation into a mediocre mom.
"The High Road" by Broken Bells...The Shins and Danger Mouse meet up for a moving rock ballad.
"Beautiful" by the Glee Cast...Hey, I (mostly) love this show and this song requires full participation from listeners, especially female ones.
"Theme From Hollywood" by Megapuss...another odd conglomeration of musicians, as well as a comedian thrown in for good measure, this group makes cats sound fun!
"Twice" by Little Dragon...a recent find, this song, coupled with its odd, haunting video, sticks in my craw. Sometimes a series of minor notes is just what the doctor ordered.
"Forgiviness" from "Awakenings" by the Royal Philharmonic...A beautiful musical rendition of what it sounds like to be forgiven. Beautiful song.
"Buckets of Rain" by Beth Orton...always looking for a funeral song, (hey, preplanning matters!), this was a temporary nominee. Orton isn't the greatest singer, which is one reason I love her. This is a raw, unplugged song.
"Felicia" by The Constellations...speaking of raw, this song grooves, but it's also really foul, if you happen to hear the words. Best to mumble it and enjoy!
"Action/Reaction" by the Choir of Young Believers...Son Eric takes my car each Monday to his guitar lesson. Needing a soundtrack for the five-minute drive, he left a mix in my car one day and I happened upon this song. Here, I found a musical bridge between the two of us.
"It's a Nice Day" (by Persephone's Bees) Happened upon this happy little number while tuned in to the early-Friday KZUM show and had to pull over to write down the lyrics. Glad I did. And I'm very glad I've got an iTunes account, too!

FOOD/RECIPES
Avocado-Lime Salsa...can't believe I spent 48 years avoiding avocados, because of texture issues!
Curried Chicken...a nice recipe the Journal-Star folks ran, and one I can eat over and over again.
Moroccan Tomato Soup...discovered a good version that just keeps getting better.
Beef Rendang...a nice Thai-inspired dish that has many yummy ingredients in it.
Spicy Cilantro Peanut Slaw...became a go-to dish for me to bring to dinners, on the outside chance we were invited to dinner!



EVENTS
--"Rent" with the Kreikemeiers at the Red-Barn Theatre in Omaha. I love "Rent" and this rendition was a jewel. Always good to think about my brother, Mike, too, who would've loved this musical.

--Andrea's Post-Cancer Party...what's not to love about a night of good food and folks, celebrating the end of a long year for my good friend?

--New cross unveiling at Grace Lutheran Church in Walton...The only "church" gig Mark's dad Dale ever had, Grace was my church for four or five good years. Mark helped make this beautiful new cross that they unveiled at a special service in honor of his dad. Nice to be back there.

--Nephew Sam's high-school graduation...Sam is easy to love and an immensely talented guitarist, to boot. Graduation capped a very good year for him and I was glad to be there to celebrate.

--KZUM interview with Sheila Stratton...Sheila's weekly "The Joy Factor" features folks who love what they're doing. I was lucky enough to be that person, one week, talking about my happy path to librarian-dom.

--Justin Bieber Concert...I've already written about this. It was surprisingly fun, if not a little creepy, to be in a room with 15,000 teenaged girls.

--Biking breakfast with Shannon Anderson. This is both an actual and a symbolic choice. I'd known this quick wit in college but our radars had moved in different directions since then. Thanks to Facebook, though, Shannon and I have reconnected. Did it help that bacon and cinnamon rice pancakes were on the menu? Yes. But, really, the main course was Shannon, whose mind runs a 4-minute mile. Facebook has reconnected me with lots-o-folks, something else that I'm grateful for in 2010.

--LHS Volleyball...LOVED meeting a handful of fun, funky athletes who came together to have a good time on the volleyball court, Allison among them. This was a wonderful surprise for both Mark and me.

--National Journalism Convention in KC...my first-ever national convention, and well worth the time. Had fun, reconnected with my friend Jeff Browne, and learned a bunch as well. Next stop? Nat'l Library conference in Minneapolis.

--30th Reunion...who would think a group of nearly-old farts could have so much fun together? And yet, that's exactly what we had. REALLY enjoyed this weekend!

--Fall East High Party...the Russian invasion made this an over-the-top event for me!

--Thai lunch with elementary/high-school friends Julie, Barb and Kim. Post-reunion, we found each other again and, like good friends always seem to do, we picked up right where we left off--with the Drunken Noodles. Well, that's what we ate, anyway! A trip to Boston, with Chris in tow, is now scheduled as our next get together. Mighty lucky to have such "old" friends who'll put up with me!

--Eric's Regents Scholarship...I've always liked my son very much, and, as most parents, think he is a smart, hard-working kid. That UNL recognized this was just the icing on the cake. Allison has already asked for the $32,000 we're saving on this investment.

--Final Scrabble game of 2010...Amazingly, coming into the final game of 2010, Jill and Kristie were tied for wins. In the last four years, we've kept score, of sorts, with the year-end winner taking the other two out for dinner. It was a very fun final game. WINNER? JILL! ...and ME!...and KRISTIE! Jill will be treating us at Fireworks next Saturday.